


when they do, i'll be right behind you

by WattStalf



Series: Commissions [137]
Category: Langrisser Series
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/M, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, commission
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:48:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25314070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WattStalf/pseuds/WattStalf
Summary: The steadily developing relationship, and how it changes things for them, all starting around the time Lance first becomes their ally.
Relationships: Ledin/Narm/Lance Kalxath
Series: Commissions [137]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1325462
Comments: 2
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'll probably update the summary someday and make it make more sense but right now my brain is dead

After everything that has happened, Lance never would have expected to end up here, fighting for the same cause as Ledin. At one point in time, they were enemies, with Lance blindly believing everything said by the Kaiser, never once realizing that there were darker forces at play. Only when Ledin began to explain things from his perspective did Lance start to falter, only planning to briefly join him until he could figure out what was going on.

Now, the two of them are on the same side, fighting for the same cause, with Lance wondering how he could have been so blind, wondering why he had to hear it from some Baldean prince to understand, rather than seeing it for himself. He should have been able to tell, but perhaps his pride, both in himself and in his home, got in the way of the truth. If so, he doubts that he should forgive himself so easily, and now, he has to see this through to the end, to make up for not understanding the truth sooner.

He is going to set things right now, even if that means that he has to do it while fighting side by side with Ledin. Not necessarily his preferred method, but that is the only option that he seems to have right now. It is difficult, allying himself with the cause that he had previously been told to fight against, even more difficult still to accept that he was wrong, at first.

And trusting someone that he hardly knows, someone that he has seen as an enemy up until now, is very difficult. Ledin does not know how he prefers to operate, nor does he really know the first thing about Lance. Though it is true that they are allies for the time being, Lance is still not sure if that calls for putting his trust in the prince so easily, or if he should be so willing to cast his lot in with Baldea. But if this is what is also best for Dalsis, he will do what he must, fighting with these strangers as if fighting with his own countrymen, because knowing that this cause is just should be enough for him.

It really is only a matter of who he is fighting with, not what he is fighting for. He had always thought such things would be simple matters. He had always thought that, if he knew that he was doing the right thing and that he was fighting for the right cause, then nothing else was important. Things are not at all that simple, presenting such complications as how much he wants to trust his allies, and how much of himself he wants to give away to them. How much can he trust someone that was previously his enemy, even if he has been told that they are in the right, and they are meant to be his friends now?

Certainly not enough to tell them everything there is to know about him, right off the bat. Ledin may seem like a decent enough young man, but that does not necessarily mean that Lance is prepared to open up to him, to let him know just what stake he has in certain issues. There are so many things about Lance that these Baldeans have no idea about, and it does not matter what reason there is for the two nations to join as allies. That is no reason for him to open up so easily.

That being said, there is something about Ledin that almost makes Lance want to tell him, even though he knows that it will do him no good, and that there is always a chance he is taking a risk by doing so. He has no idea  _ what _ Ledin could do to betray him with such information, but the possibility is always there, as long as he does not truly know him. No matter how approachable he may seem, that could all be an act to make it seem easier for others to come forth with their problems, and Lance does not want to be the fool that falls for such a trap, if the trap exists to begin with.

For the time being, he will keep Ledin at an arm’s length, regardless of how Ledin tries to bridge the gap between the two of them. He may be with him, but he is no real part of the army, only assisting when he has to, nothing more. That way, he can keep his safe distance, doing only what he must to ensure that things are set right, and that his past actions, when he was being misled, are absolved. Then, he no longer has to have anything to do with Prince Ledin, at least, as far as he is concerned.

There is no need for anyone here to know about… _ her _ , or about what has happened to him. None of that has anything to do with what they are fighting for, at least as far as he knows. Though, when he truly thinks about the things that have happened, the miscommunication and the altered memories, the trickery that led Dalsis down the wrong path, he can’t help but connect things in his mind, wondering if there is even more to it, and if this fight might be a bit more personal than he initially thought. However, Lance knows that it is no good dwelling on these things for too long when there is nothing he can do about them, and that it is no reason to go running to Ledin, spilling his guts on the off chance that his own private tragedies have anything to do with what the journey they are about to embark upon.

No, this is better left unsaid, better kept close to his heart, and far away from the ears of the prince, that he is still not sure whether or not he should trust so readily.

~X~

It is hard to be sure about Lance, but Narm trusts Ledin’s judgment even so. She has a feeling that, if there were something sinister about the general, that Ledin would not be taken in so easily, but she resolves to keep a close eye on him, just in case. After all, even knowing that their former enemy was only being controlled and manipulated from the shadows, and that Lance is considered a just man, there is no real way to determine that he is not another part of the deception.

So she will be cautious, just so that she can better protect Ledin. While he continues to worry about the bigger picture, she can stay close by his side, supporting him in whatever way possible, while keeping an eye on those around him, in order to make sure that no harm comes to him from within. She does not allow herself to dwell too much on the feelings that motivate her to do this, trying to maintain the relationship that they have had up until now. Better that he does not know the truth behind her loyalty, and better that nobody knows about it.

The fact that she cares far too much for him is something that she finds easy to keep close to her heart, at least. Though there is a part of her that hopes that, someday, when the fighting is done, there might be a new place for her at his side, she does not push the issue just yet, and is halfway convinced that she never should. As much as she may want to, she is not sure if it is her place, or if it will ever be her place, and she worries about what it may change if she were to actually attempt a confession.

Better that he does not know the truth behind her loyalty, because she does not know what she would do if there were no longer any place for her at his side. Even without his love, she is still more than willing to remain close to him, because she wants to be able to support him and protect him, no matter what their relationship may be. She would not be able to stand it if a rejection meant that she could no longer offer him that, all because he felt that he could not offer her what she wanted.

It is always better to be safe in these matters, she has decided, but perhaps that is just her own cowardice. When it comes to fighting, when it comes to putting her life on the line for the sake of Baldea and for the sake of Ledin, she is never lacking in courage, but when it comes to her own feelings and desires, her courage fails her, and her reason allows her to make any manner of excuse for holding back.

So she is content to remain as she is, watching over him as a friend and adviser, keeping a close eye on everyone else, so that she can ensure Ledin is safe to the end. That is why she is paying such close attention to Lance, because he is still such an unknown factor at this point. She senses that there is more to him than meets the eye, something that he is holding back, and it is hard to tell what that is. While it is entirely possible that there is nothing malicious hidden beneath the surface, it does not change the fact that there is something there, and until she knows what he is hiding, she can’t make a proper judgment.

Otherwise, she thinks that he and Ledin could be very good friends. As of right now, there is some distance between them, and they seem to have more of a rivalry, whenever they do interact, but there is potential there, she can just tell. It is a strange observation, and one that she keeps to herself, but the more she watches Lance, trying to figure out what is hiding beneath the surface, the more she thinks that, were he more straightforward, were he more open and trusting with the group, then he and Ledin could become quite close.

Whenever she thinks too long about this, she feels a pang of jealousy that she is quick to try and banish. Her current position leaves her no room to want for anything from Ledin, and the idea of him having close friends has never bothered her before. Even if she sees great potential in his friendship with Lance, that does not mean that she should have to worry that he would be some sort of replacement, pushing her further away from Ledin. And even if that were the case, it is entirely selfish for her to be jealous of something like that, when she should simply be happy for whatever may benefit the prince.

That is the problem with having feelings of her own where he is concerned; she finds herself thinking these selfish thoughts more often than not, and she knows better than that. She knows better than to let her mind wander too far, worrying about what could be, if Lance were to open up and if there were nothing malicious hiding behind his distant front. No matter how close the two of them would become, she would have to be happy because Ledin would be happy, and after what he has been through, he deserves any happiness that might come his way. Even if that happiness is not directly caused by her.

It is all much too complicated, and things would be easier if she could keep her wandering thoughts in check, and forget matters of the heart for the moment. They are in the middle of a war, after all, so it is not as if any of her petty concerns have any merit, in comparison to what is on Ledin’s mind, or even on Lance’s mind. All she needs to do is keep going as she has been, supporting Ledin in any way possible.

~X~

Ledin has absolutely no idea what to make of Lance. It is a complicated situation for sure, but he has thought from the beginning that the general is an honorable man. At first, he simply thought he was misled by a corrupt empire, but now, he understands just how misled so many people were, and he is glad that he was able to convince Lance to see reason so quickly, and that Lance is now fighting at his side, until they have a better handle on the situation.

He has no idea how long this allegiance will last, but for the time being, he knows that Lance is a very valuable ally, and he wants to preserve that relationship at least until they have succeeded in retrieving Langrisser, so that Baldea can know peace once again. Beyond that, he has no idea how far this union could extend, but just having seen Lance’s abilities in combat so far, he knows that he would be someone very valuable to hold onto. Of course, Digos must feel the same way, so it is not as if Lance can remain under his orders forever.

The fact that he is even considering that is strange to him. He has no reason to be so attached to someone that he hardly knows, someone who was once his enemy, and someone that he has not really had much of a chance to get close to since that changed. Though he supposes he could attribute it simply to wanting such a powerful ally at all times, he can’t help but doubt that that is there is to it. Even if he does not understand it, he knows that there is something there, drawing him to Lance, but as long he can’t figure out why he cares so much, he can attempt to ignore it.

There is so much more that he needs to worry about right now anyway, though he does wish that Lance made himself easier to befriend. Though they come from different homes and are fighting for different reasons, they are ultimately fighting for the same cause, and he had hoped that that would be enough reason for the two of them to become friends. He tries to develop a sort of closeness with all of his commanders, because he knows that it is much easier to trust one another on the battlefield if you trust one another off of the battlefield.

Lance is just a difficult person, and he feels as though there is more to him than he lets on. It is hard to tell what that might be, or why Ledin feels that way to begin with, but he does wonder what it could be, and he wonders why he is so interested almost as much.

At times, he considers confiding in someone else, asking for a second opinion, both on what they think of Lance, and on what they think of his inexplicable attachment and interest. The first person that often comes to his mind for these matters is Narm. She is often found at his side, always eager to hear him out and offer her perspective on things. He considers her one of his most valuable allies and friends, both for her battlefield presence and for her importance in his life.

But he isn’t sure if this is something that he should discuss with her or not, though he also is unsure why he has those doubts. It might very well be the first time that he has worried about if he could ask her about something or not, and as far as he can tell, there is no reason for that doubt to be there to begin with. He has always been close to Narm, and has always valued her opinion; matters involving one of their newest allies should not be any different.

If anything, the first thing he should think to do is talk to her, because of how much he values her input. He wonders if it has anything to do with just how curious he is about Lance, and how his curiosity definitely extends far beyond wanting to know everything about his fighting style and training regimen. Perhaps if he told Narm that he finds himself wanting to know everything there is to know about him, then she would be put off and think him strange. Or maybe she would look too deep into his feelings, and jump to false conclusions.

Or maybe her conclusions would not be all that false, and that would force Ledin to reconsider his motivation.

Even considering that factor, which he prefers not to consider at all, it becomes an issue when he thinks about just how close he is with Narm in particular. If there is anything below the surface, where Lance is concerned, remembering Narm should be enough to put an end to that line of thinking, and yet it does not. Ledin is left confused by all of it, and it does not help matters at all to remind himself that he knows Narm very well and has reason to care about her, whereas he hardly knows Lance at all and, judging from how things have been going so far, he might not ever have the chance to.

Now is hardly the time to let himself get lost in such confusing thoughts. There are many more important things than his feelings for either of them, more important things than what could be a budding friendship with lance, more important things than a desire to know the man, who is practically a stranger, as well as he knows his closest friends. Ledin should not complicate things any further, nor should he put more on his plate than he is currently able to handle, when he is already dealing with so much.

His homeland, and everyone he knows, is at stake, and counting on him. That should be the most important thing on his mind.


	2. Chapter 2

Lance is too unpredictable. Somehow, Narm feels that she should have seen that sooner, but at first, it was hard to tell where her feelings regarding him were coming from. It is only when his judgment becomes so clouded that he breaks from Ledin’s command that she realizes just how unpredictable and hotheaded he really is, and that she should have seen this sooner, rather than simply worrying that he and Ledin were getting too close.

He is not their enemy, just because he struggles with following orders when his emotions are high, though. She can tell that much just from watching how it all plays out. He still fights alongside them, but he does not listen to Ledin’s command, more driven by his desire for revenge than anything else. And that motivation is a little bit unclear at first, as he charges on without bothering to explain himself, to Ledin or to anyone else.

All she can do is piece things together based on what she has heard, coming to the conclusion that he has suffered a tragedy, that he has lost someone very close to him. Did he really have a fiancee once? And was she really taken from him, at the hands of their enemy? It seems that that is the case, and though she is surprised at first, she realizes that it does make sense, especially when considering just how easily he flies off the handle when provoked.

It would have had to have been something incredibly personal, after all. And he is distant in so many regards, never truly letting anyone in, never explaining what it is that drives him, and certainly never explaining what it is that always causes him to hold back where others are involved. If he were able to open up more readily, he and Ledin would be a lot closer, and perhaps then, Ledin would understand why he is so easily provoked in this situation.

But then, if he were able to open up more easily, then his problems might not be so severe that he could be that easily provoked. It is hard to tell, and not something that she can perfectly piece together, no matter how many context clues she may have. For now, it is just a handful of what-ifs, and a handful that Narm is unable to make sense of without actually knowing what goes on in Lance’s head.

The only thing that she knows for sure is that Lance should not be left to his own devices. If he is going to be a part of this, then he has to know his place. If he is going to continue to fly off the handle at personal provocation, and if he is going to go off on his own if Ledin’s orders do not suit his own vision, then he is hardly suited to be a part of this army. No matter how strong he may be, he is only a liability if he is not going to pledge his loyalty entirely, and learn his place.

Narm does not want any harm to come to Ledin because Lance is so unpredictable. She knows that he has quite the fondness for the general, and that he wants to be closer to him, that he sees great potential in their alliance. Just the same, she knows that he will be quick to forgive this misstep, eager to mend fences if it means that the alliance can continue. It is hard to tell whether or not Ledin’s judgment is correct, but, being in the position that she is, Narm is inclined to be more cautious, and to doubt Lance’s true intentions, because she wants to make sure that Ledin stays protected.

Position aside, she could never forgive herself if she missed something that caused the man she loves to come to harm, and even if she will never admit to those feelings, she is still going to act on them, for as long as she has the chance to be at Ledin’s side. That is why she decides Lance can’t be trusted, and that she needs to keep a much closer eye on him, even after he has cooled his head and apologized to Ledin for his behavior, promising to be more level-headed in the future, and think things through before letting his anger get the better of him.

Promises are well and good, but they mean nothing if they are not carried out, and she does not know if he really will remain true to his word. As long as _his_ enemy remains alive, there is always a chance that Lance might be provoked into abandoning Ledin again, and there is even a chance, no matter how small that chance may be, that he might harm Ledin directly. If those chances exist, then Narm must be ready, and she must keep a much closer eye on him, so that she does not miss any changes.

She already feels as though she has failed by not noticing this before it happened, but he had done such a good job at hiding the truth. Never would she have guessed that he was mourning a lover, and that does cause her to feel a stab of sympathy for him. Even if what he did is not something she is willing to easily forgive, she can at least say that she understands why he is hurting enough to have done it. It causes her to see him in a new light, at least, and even as she becomes more suspicious of him, she also becomes more sympathetic, wondering if there is any way to get him to open up to her.

If he were more open with her, she might have a better chance of stopping problems before they occur, making him feel less alone, and helping him keep in line, where he offers no threat to Ledin. It would benefit everyone,she thinks, and it might even benefit Lance, because then, he might start to feel better. At least, that is what she would hope for.

“Are you here to talk to me about the last fight?” he asks her, before she even has the chance to say anything.

“I was hoping we might be able to discuss it,” she replies, and he gives her a strange smile.

“Is this going to be a lecture, or some show of pity? Or maybe a little bit of both?” Though his words certainly sound like they should be better, his tone is not as bitter as she would have expected, catching her even more off guard.

“Well, I’m sure you can understand the more obvious concerns I have,” she starts, and before she can finish, Lance is cutting her off again.

“I know that you want to look out for your prince. That only makes sense, and it only makes sense that you would be even more suspicious of me, after that display. I expected at least one of you to come and confront me about it, at least,” he says.

“I just want to know if there’s anything I can do. I don’t want you to think that I’m only talking to you because I’m not sure if I can trust you. We’ve fought together before, and you’re a part of this group, so I would be concerned either way.”

For a moment, his strange smile falters, and he simply nods. Perhaps she is not the only one caught off guard right now, because Lance does not seem to know how to take this. Truth be told, Narm is not quite sure where she is going with this, or what her true goal is. All she knows is that Lance is not someone she can ignore, and that the best way to keep an eye on him is to build a bond with him, but talking to him like this, even a few sentences in, she thinks that, had they met under different circumstances, she would still want to be able to talk to him like this.

“I’m sure you heard enough to understand why I behaved the way I did,” he finally says, after thinking it over for a moment. “I’ve…had things happen to me, things that make it difficult for me to overlook certain things, regardless of what my orders may be. It can be difficult to follow orders from someone who doesn’t understand, anyway.”

“Prince Ledin might understand more than you think,” she tries, and he scoffs.

“I’ve not heard of anything like that happening to him,” he replies, and she has to hold herself back from saying that no one had heard anything about him, either, until very recently.

Instead, she says, “It may not be the exact same situation, but he did lose his father, and not very long ago, you must recall. He is still fighting for that same cause, fighting against the darkness that took his father from him.”

For a moment, Lance does not say anything, appearing to be deep in thought. He must realize that she is right and that, though their situations are ultimately different, that there are some similarities, that Ledin is no stranger to loss, and that he might be capable of understanding Lance’s struggle, at least a little bit.

“Did he send you to mediate?” he finally asks, though she can tell that he is not entirely serious.

“I did this on my own,” she says. “I’m not speaking for him, only speculating on what I think he might be feeling right now.”

“Well, the two of you do seem rather close. I suppose if anyone would know what he was thinking, it would be you.” She is not sure if that is meant as a compliment or not, but it does feel nice to be told that she and Ledin appear to be close, even if she knows that they are not close in the way that she wants to be. “Even so, I doubt you would ever see him lose control of himself and charge off like that. That might be something he isn’t capable of understanding.”

“I’m not sure about that, but I do think if you were more open with anyone- him, or me, or anyone else you might get close to, then it might be easier for you, than simply bottling it up like you did before now. I understand that your problems are personal, but a little bit of trust can go a long way.” She worries that she might be speaking out of turn, or taking things too far with the way she tries to convince him, but Lance does not seem to mind, or at least, if he is annoyed with her, he does not show it.

“We’ll see,” is all that he is able to say in the end, but she still hopes that she was able to get through to him, at least a little bit. But, even if she has not made much of an impact on him, she can at least say that she has walked away from this with a better understanding of Lance, and, unless he is a master manipulator, tricking her with his behavior, she thinks that it is safe to assume that he is someone she will be able to trust, in time.

She only hopes that he will be able to feel the same about her, and about Ledin as well.

~X~

His conversation with Narm leaves Lance feeling very strange, in ways that he can’t quite place, as well as ways that make all too much sense to him. When he listens to the way she talks about Ledin, it becomes obvious that she has her own motivations for serving him, willing to lay her life down for him, and that idea alone is enough to leave Lance wary, afraid to get too close to her, even though he knows that he is being foolish.

It will do him no good to be afraid to get close to any woman, all because there is the chance that he might see them killed as well. And it is not as if Narm is _his_ to worry about; as he has already observed, she has her sights set on her prince, whether or not Ledin is actually aware of that. If she were to throw away her life for his sake, that would hardly be any concern of Lance’s. Or, at least, that is what he would like to say, but he knows that he is not that heartless, and that it does not matter what kind of relationship he has with someone. If he were to lose them, it will still hurt the same, and he already knows that.

But then, that just brings him back to his initial fear, not wanting to let Narm get too close to him. Really, he does not want to let anyone get too close to him, but that seems like it becomes more and more difficult with each passing day. Ledin has tried again and again to insert himself into his life, and now Narm has come to talk to him, and he wants to let them in just as much as he wants to keep them at an arm’s length. Slowly, his fear begins to make sense to him, but the conclusion that he arrives at is hardly what he wants to have to face right now.

Not only that, but to him, it does not make any sense. Narm is one thing, and Ledin is another thing, and the idea of wanting to be…like _that_ , with both of them, to fear growing close to both of them as much as he desires it, is another thing entirely, something that he can’t quite wrap his head around. He can understand Narm’s feelings for Ledin, and might even be able to tell that Ledin cares a lot more for her than she might realize, and he can even see how both of them have showed their own interest in him, in their own ways, but he can’t seem to make sense of all of those things working together.

In his life, he has never once considered this sort of possibility, and the idea of letting himself fall for anyone is already ridiculous, after what he has been through. To fall for either of them is ridiculous; to fall for both of them would be absolute insanity. And is it not far too soon to be thinking about things like that? He hardly knows either of them, and he has only truly spoken with Narm the once. For her, it can be easy to write it off as him being touched by her concern, and taking that too far in the head of the moment, letting his mind play tricks on him. For Ledin, he can write it off as admiration for a leader who wants peace just as much as he does.

That does not mean that he has really fallen for either of them, let alone both of them at the same time. That does not mean that he needs to let his guard down for the two of them and let either of them in, just to let himself get hurt again, whether it is in the same way, or an entirely different way. After all, he knows that the two of them are close enough without him in the middle, and do not need him there to further their own bond.

The more he dwells on it, the more ridiculous he feels. How could he even consider letting himself entertain the idea of falling for anyone at all, regardless of who it was or how many people it was, when he is still raw with his loss? It would not be right for him to do such a thing, he knows that much without even having to think about it, and yet he continues to think. Aren’t these thoughts just a betrayal of the love he still holds for her? He should still be mourning, not wondering if it is time for him to open his heart back up to anyone at all, Ledin, Narm, or otherwise.

Hell, he has not even properly avenged her yet! What is he thinking, letting his thoughts get clouded with these feelings, all because the two of them worry about him? The only reason they worry is because of how blinded by vengeance he can become, and he lets them talk him down and calm him down. For that, he should hate them, not contemplate loving them. If anything, they are only going to hold him back from what he actually needs to do, and that would be even more of a betrayal than just letting himself fall in love again.

Lance reaches this conclusion, and yet he does not feel as satisfied as he thinks that he will, an emptiness still lingering in his chest. He thinks his way through all of this after Narm leaves him alone, and yet he does not feel like he has accomplished anything at all. He just feels like he has made enough excuses to avoid having to think anymore for today, and that will not suffice for long. If he leaves it at this, he will come back to this same internal debate, for as long as he allows himself to keep putting off a true conclusion.

For now, however, he decides that he can leaved it at that, and wait a little while yet to allow himself to reach that conclusion. There is still more important work to be done, and still more time to get to know the two that plague his thoughts. Perhaps he will learn something that will put him off of them completely, thus solving his problem for him, for the time being. Even as he thinks it, he already has a feeling that he will not be that lucky.


	3. Chapter 3

Ledin just wants to do whatever good he can in the world, that much is apparent. Lance can agree with a lot of his principles, something he is learning more and more as they work together. He thinks that Ledin would make a great leader, because of his desire for peace, and his goal to always do the right thing.

However, there are some flaws that also become more apparent as Lance works with him. Despite his lofty ideals, he does not seem to have what he needs to back them up, or at least, that is how Lance sees it. He may not be as quick tempered or as stubborn as Lance is, and that may serve as beneficial in a lot of situations, but there are times when Lance feels that those sorts of traits are necessary.

It has become more noticeable since Ledin recaptured the Langrisser. It was the first of many important victories to come in the final stretch of this war, and it is not at all surprising that it would bring about change in the prince. However, Lance is not so sure about that change, watching as Ledin obtains new power, only to become more vulnerable in the process.

He is so trusting and kindhearted that he probably does not realize just how many enemies could lurk at his side, seeking to take advantage of him. Though Lance is not certain of any enemies in their midst either, he would be the sort to be more cautious about that sort of thing, especially now. If he were in possession of something that powerful, he would be careful who he trusted, even if it were someone that he had trusted for a long time.

In fact, after everything that Ledin has been through in this war, he should have learned that lesson by now. Their enemies will use any means necessary to obtain what they want, and have not been above using mind-control, influencing Lance’s entire nation just by choosing the right pawn to play. Lance has only become more guarded since then, but somehow, it does not seem to register with Ledin.

Truth be told, Lance would not even want the prince to trust him at this point. Despite knowing that he offers no threat, and is perhaps one of the best allies he has- and he does not just believe this from his own vanity, or desire to stick close to Ledin to obtain his revenge- he would feel a lot safer knowing that Ledin did not trust him completely. He has already proven himself to be unreliable when his temper is properly stoked, and enough of his countrymen have been manipulated and influenced that it would not be a stretch to worry that Lance might be among their ranks.

Instead, Ledin continues to keep him close, trusting him fully and working to grow their bond, and treating all of his commanders as if they are his friends, even though he has picked up a fair few of them along the way, just recently, from what Lance has heard. For instance, Chris is not someone that Ledin has known for very long, and yet, he listens to her suggestions and takes them to heart as if she is his most trusted adviser, seeing only the good in her, in his quest to do good by his people.

Maybe Lance is looking too deep into things because he is too jaded, but it is not as if he does not think Ledin is unfit to rule. The more time they spend together, the more he believes that Ledin would be perfectly suited to bring them into a new, peaceful world, if only he were a bit more cautious, if only he could understand that his enemies could be waiting for him anywhere. Even if they were not seen as enemies, even if they were not intentionally bringing harm to him, there are so many ways that a man as trusting as him could be brought down, and Lance does not want to see that happen.

He tries to ignore his personal feelings, even though he knows they are weighing in a bit more on the situation than they should be. Instead, he simply pretends that they have nothing to do with it, and he does not question his new loyalty. The world is only going to become worse if something is not done about it, and they are in such tumultuous times right now that it is the perfect time to bring about major change. If they had the liberty to waste time waiting for more favorable circumstances, he might do that, and he might even be able to look past his feelings to find someone even more suitable for the job, but as things are now, he has already cast his lot in with Ledin, and he is going to see it through.

The best way to get to Ledin is through Narm, he has decided, at least when it comes to things he cannot tell the prince directly. Lance has allowed himself to get much too close to her throughout all of this, and he is more assured than ever before that she is the person closest to Ledin, the one who shares his feelings and desires for the prince and his future. He doubts that she is putting on a front to try and sway Ledin’s opinions, or to try and manipulate him into doing her bidding, and he is certain that she is motivated by love, only love.

The two of them are not very different, when he gets down to it, and he is not going to be able to look after Ledin, or push him in the right direction, or protect him from hidden enemies, if he is doing it all by himself. Narm has already tried to win his trust, and already wants him to open up to her, so Narm is exactly where he is going to start.

~X~

Of course, Narm has noticed the things that Lance begins to tell her about. In fact, she has had similar concerns for some time now, perhaps even longer than he has. She has always chosen to keep a close eye on everyone that gets close to Ledin specifically because she knows that he is too trusting, that he is the sort who might unintentionally allow himself to be harmed by someone that he simply did not believe to be an enemy.

He does not seem capable of it, at times, and that makes him a good leader, in a lot of ways, but she has had similar concerns for a very long time now. Things have only gotten worse since they began to turn the tides of their long string of battles, and as she watches him, listening to more and more suggestions, becoming more and more susceptible, she has begun to worry.

Right now, it does not seem as though anyone is outright trying to manipulate him, but that does not mean that things will not change in the future, and there are people that she knows to keep an eye on, doing what she can to be vigilant even when Ledin does not think there is anything to worry about. Initially, she only took an interest in Lance because she worried that he might be such a person, what with how quickly Ledin took a shine to him, and with how unpredictable his behavior could be.

But recently, they have grown a lot closer, ever since she first decided to talk to him. He has grown close to Ledin and he has grown close to her, mostly separately, and that is why she is surprised when he comes to her one day, wanting to discuss something of importance, related to Ledin and to this war.

“He is naive,” Lance says bluntly, and he is not wrong, but Narm is not sure if she should immediately agree with him, or if she should try and defend Ledin a bit. It is a flaw as much as it is a virtue, so she can understand Lance’s frustration, but she also does not want to see her prince slandered for it.

“That’s not always a bad thing,” she finally says.

“I agree,” Lance agrees, surprising her. “However, in his case, it can be concerning. I know that you do what you can to look after him- I’ve noticed the way you watch everyone. I know that’s why you approached me in the first place. Actually, I find it admirable that you didn’t trust me.”

Narm is not sure if she should actually take that as a compliment or not. It seems that he means it as one, but he _is_ commenting on the fact that she has not trusted him from the start. She settles on nodding as she says, “So, I take it that you want to discuss some concern with one of Ledin’s allies?”

“Not quite, not yet,” he says. “But you must have realized, just the same as I have, that he is too trusting, that he is a pushover, and that he can so naive at times that it is frustrating. I know that he has a lot of potential. A lot of people feel the same way, but that just leaves him even more open to outside influence.”

“There are a lot of people who would use his potential and his trust against him,” she agrees.

“I do not want to see him fail. I have spent enough time at his side to know that I want him to succeed. Truthfully, I believe he is best suited for the job, but if he is to rule, and if he is to bring about a lasting peace, he can’t do it alone.”

“He has us to help him.”

“He does, but, like we’ve both established, he has a lot more than just us. And it is not too hard to believe that somebody might work their way into his good graces just to use them for their own gain. Peace can’t remain if Ledin is taken advantage of.”

“I’m well aware of that,” says Narm. “That’s why I would always do what I could to protect him-”

“But what if there was nothing you needed to protect him from?” Lance interrupts. “Well, I suppose I can’t say _nothing_. There is no telling when even the most trusted of allies might turn, but if there were no enemies…if there were only allies…at least then, you would know to only look for threats from within. If there were no enemies, then he could lead in peace, and you could protect him.”

“You say that as if that isn’t the goal of this war,” she argues, not quite sure what Lance is getting at.

“It is, but…Ledin is naive. He will settle for whatever is handed to him, because he genuinely believes that the road to peace will involve the least amount of sacrifices. He wants to do the right thing, so he will never consider using his power beyond what he feels is necessary. He will only act if his hand is forced, and I have a feeling that his hand will not be forced nearly enough,” he explains. Slowly, Narm is starting to realize what he is saying to her.

Slowly, she is starting to realize why Lance has come to her about this, rather than keeping it to himself, and slowly, she is starting to realize that he is right. It sounds insane, and yet, when she considers what he has said, she can imagine all the ways that Ledin might falter, if left with even the slightest room for resistance.

“What, exactly, are you saying?” she asks him, not quite committing either way yet.

Lance tells her of his plans, explaining just how he intends to use what power he has to ensure that Ledin will achieve the peaceful world that he wants.

**Author's Note:**

> If you're interested in my writing updates, please follow my fanfiction twitter @WattStalf  
> 


End file.
